The legendary filmmaker was buried in the family vault in the cemetery of Agramonte in Porto, his birthplace in northern Portugal, in the presence of several personalities of culture, one of his favorite actors, John Malkovich.
“Film is not dead with Manoel de Oliveira, but Manoel de Oliveira was unique and film will not be the same without him,” said the American artist, 61, who figured in three of his films, including “I’m Going Home” (2001).
President Anibal Cavaco Silva and Prime Minister Pedro Passos Coelho attended the brief funeral ceremony held formerly the church of Christ the King in the presence of the director of the family, including his widow Maria Isabel, 96, married in 1940.
“The Portuguese have a heavy heart”
“All the Portuguese now have the heart tightened at the thought of seeing him leave. It was almost part of our family,” assured Pedro Passos Coelho.
The gray hearse, covered with wreaths of white and yellow flowers, was greeted at the cemetery by the applause of hundreds of fans of the director.
“Manoel de Oliveira is one of us. Do not go to Lisbon, we will build a pantheon here! ” could be read on a banner agitated by residents of Porto.
Last posthumous blink of eye, the filmmaker left a long unpublished autobiographical film shot in 1982, “The Visit or memoirs and confessions” which will be unveiled to the public in the month of April.
Emotions in movie circles
The government declared two days of national mourning in tribute to those who helped to spread Portuguese culture abroad.
The death of the prolific director has sparked a wave of emotion in the film circles. “Manoel de Oliveira was very special, both seductive and authoritarian, often charming. Above all, it was something of a craftsman, working ceaselessly his films,” said the French newspaper Libération the actress Catherine Deneuve, by recalling the filming of “The Convent” (1995).
“We will miss a great man and a great filmmaker who has done much for Portugal,” said one of his grandchildren son, actor Ricardo Trepa, a regular in his films.
“He turned almost all the films he wanted and he was able to work up to its 106 years. There are fifteen days it was still hard at work to make a last work, “said he told the press.
Having failed to bring this project to fruition, her will movie will remain” the Old Restelo “shot in spring 2014, which was inspired by the epic poem” Os Lusíadas “Luis de Camoes featuring the great discoveries of Portuguese sailors.
The great master of the Portuguese cinema to record longevity has made nearly fifty films and documentaries. He shot his first film in 1931, but has produced most of his work after 60 years. Frantic Creator, he almost turned one film a year from 1985, the year of the release of “Satin Slipper” fresco nearly seven hours adaptation of the play by Paul Claudel.
> Among the best-known films include “The Divine Comedy” (1991), “The Tape” (1994), “Party” (1997), “I’m Going Home” (2001), “Belle toujours” (2006) “Christopher Columbus, the Enigma” (2007) or “Gebo and the Shadow” (2012). His
sometimes esoteric work, marked by long static shots similar to paintings, was perceived sealed by the general public, but earned him numerous awards, including a Golden Palm at Cannes in 2008, in tribute to his career.
“Filming is my work and my passion. My life has passed too quickly and I have no time to lose, “he said, full of energy, there a few years ago.
By Culturebox (with AFP)
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